Read Online The Unexpected Bride (Montana Born Brides) by Joanne Walsh - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Joanne Walsh
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argument, and anyway, Emma was grateful for the invitation. She knew enough to realize that his solitariness was a coping strategy, but it wasn’t good for his family; without knowing it, he was confusing his children by blowing hot and cold. So, whatever she felt about him, she should try and accept his olive branch; if she wanted to carry on working here, and be happy, she needed to put her feelings in a box and bury them. And she still had a lot of work to do help this family unit to mend.
“Okay. I’d like that,” she said, and wiped the beads of sweat from her brow.
“Here’s a good book for kids about Montana wildlife,” Emma said, catching Laurent’s attention as they browsed in the bookstore on Main Street. “It’s got lots of illustrations and a simple text.”
“Is there an extensive section on bears?” Laurent asked dryly.
Emma gave a little grin. “Not extensive, but enough. And plenty about other animals to give the big picture. I never knew there were so many.”
“Yup. Montana is the last of the lower forty-eight states to have more animals than people.”
“Wow, Professor Fletcher!” Emma couldn’t help slipping into cheeky mode. “That’s quite a fact. Anything more you want to teach me?”
Laurent raised an eyebrow and smiled lazily. Emma felt butterflies dance in her stomach.
“How about that the grizzly bear is the official state animal?”
“So the bear on the mountain is a VIP?”
“Sure is.” He held up a children’s picture book. “Here’s a great bear story and it says it’s suitable for ages three to four. Maybe something I can read to Evie.”
Emma gave him a wide smile. “That would be terrific. Is there anything that you can share with Jerome?” She knew she had to keep pushing him to strike a balance with his kids and to search for anything that would help him forge a bond with his boy. “Here…” She pounced on a section of bookshelves for the under-threes, and soon discovered a suitable book that she knew Jerome would enjoy.
The volumes purchased, they made their way to the bookstore’s exit. “We’ve got half an hour until our table is ready at Rocco’s. Fancy a drink at Grey’s Saloon?” Laurent suggested.
Emma nodded.
They made their way down the street and into Grey’s, which Emma was delighted to find was a traditional western-style saloon bar. It was quite busy, but she spotted a free table with two chairs. “Is here okay?”
“Suits me. What would you like to drink?”
“I’d like to try a beer,” Emma decided, taking off her beanie and unwrapping her scarf from around her neck. “Is there a local one you can recommend?”
Laurent looked visibly pleased at her choice. “There’s a full-strength beer produced here in town by Jasper Flint’s microbrewery. My brother Ren’s a beer connoisseur and he rates it. I’ll go fetch us a couple of bottles.”
Unbuttoning her padded coat, Emma sat down and watched as Laurent went over to the bar to order their beers. He stood out amongst the other men drinking in the establishment, with his height and broad-shouldered physique. She looked at the way his dark hair spiked on the stop of his head and at his chiselled linear profile, which reminded her so much of a classical statue. Her breath caught in her lungs. She found him so attractive it hurt. Stop it, Emma! She exhaled, in an effort to shut down her mind on her traitorous feelings.
Laurent brought back two chilled bottles of the micro-brewed beer and sat down, shrugging off his jacket. He raised his bottle, shiny with condensation, and clinked it against Emma’s. “Friends?”
“Friends.”
Laurent took a swig, then put his beer down on the table. “So, friend. Assuming that we’re okay, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” Emma was aware that her voice sounded unconvincingly high and brittle as she fought to get her senses back under control.
Laurent gave her a shrewd look. “Sure?”
She forced a smile. “I’m
“Okay. I’d like that,” she said, and wiped the beads of sweat from her brow.
“Here’s a good book for kids about Montana wildlife,” Emma said, catching Laurent’s attention as they browsed in the bookstore on Main Street. “It’s got lots of illustrations and a simple text.”
“Is there an extensive section on bears?” Laurent asked dryly.
Emma gave a little grin. “Not extensive, but enough. And plenty about other animals to give the big picture. I never knew there were so many.”
“Yup. Montana is the last of the lower forty-eight states to have more animals than people.”
“Wow, Professor Fletcher!” Emma couldn’t help slipping into cheeky mode. “That’s quite a fact. Anything more you want to teach me?”
Laurent raised an eyebrow and smiled lazily. Emma felt butterflies dance in her stomach.
“How about that the grizzly bear is the official state animal?”
“So the bear on the mountain is a VIP?”
“Sure is.” He held up a children’s picture book. “Here’s a great bear story and it says it’s suitable for ages three to four. Maybe something I can read to Evie.”
Emma gave him a wide smile. “That would be terrific. Is there anything that you can share with Jerome?” She knew she had to keep pushing him to strike a balance with his kids and to search for anything that would help him forge a bond with his boy. “Here…” She pounced on a section of bookshelves for the under-threes, and soon discovered a suitable book that she knew Jerome would enjoy.
The volumes purchased, they made their way to the bookstore’s exit. “We’ve got half an hour until our table is ready at Rocco’s. Fancy a drink at Grey’s Saloon?” Laurent suggested.
Emma nodded.
They made their way down the street and into Grey’s, which Emma was delighted to find was a traditional western-style saloon bar. It was quite busy, but she spotted a free table with two chairs. “Is here okay?”
“Suits me. What would you like to drink?”
“I’d like to try a beer,” Emma decided, taking off her beanie and unwrapping her scarf from around her neck. “Is there a local one you can recommend?”
Laurent looked visibly pleased at her choice. “There’s a full-strength beer produced here in town by Jasper Flint’s microbrewery. My brother Ren’s a beer connoisseur and he rates it. I’ll go fetch us a couple of bottles.”
Unbuttoning her padded coat, Emma sat down and watched as Laurent went over to the bar to order their beers. He stood out amongst the other men drinking in the establishment, with his height and broad-shouldered physique. She looked at the way his dark hair spiked on the stop of his head and at his chiselled linear profile, which reminded her so much of a classical statue. Her breath caught in her lungs. She found him so attractive it hurt. Stop it, Emma! She exhaled, in an effort to shut down her mind on her traitorous feelings.
Laurent brought back two chilled bottles of the micro-brewed beer and sat down, shrugging off his jacket. He raised his bottle, shiny with condensation, and clinked it against Emma’s. “Friends?”
“Friends.”
Laurent took a swig, then put his beer down on the table. “So, friend. Assuming that we’re okay, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” Emma was aware that her voice sounded unconvincingly high and brittle as she fought to get her senses back under control.
Laurent gave her a shrewd look. “Sure?”
She forced a smile. “I’m
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